University of Maryland Main Administration Building
Over the past 10 years, the University System of Maryland has grown by almost 35,000 students as the system seeks to expand access to higher education to state residents.
During the same period, this university’s student body grew by 6.34 percent — and yet this university, the system’s flagship university, now makes up a smaller percentage of the total university system student population. In fall 2005, this university was 28 percent of the system’s headcount total, but in fall 2014, that percentage dropped to 23 percent, the largest percentage-point decline of any university system institution, even though this university’s enrollment grew by more than 2,000 students over the past decade.
“College Park used to be the largest institution in the system, but now that’s really [University of Maryland University College],” said Chad Muntz, director of institutional research for the university system. “As an online institution, the role UMUC plays is very different; it can offer a variety of courses and degree programs to anyone with an Internet connection. It’s really been the one growing most.”
Currently, the university system’s goal is for at least 55 percent of the state’s adults ages 25 to 64 to hold a college degree by 2025. According to 2013 U.S. Census Bureau data, 36.8 percent of the state population aged 25 or older held a bachelor’s degree or higher.
This university increased its enrollment from 35,369 in fall 2005 to 37,610 this fall, according to university system data.
Over the 10-year period, this university introduced a new undergraduate public health science program at the Universities at Shady Grove, an institution with degree-granting programs from nine state colleges and universities, which has grown significantly. Other big growth areas for this university included the communication and criminology and criminal justice programs.
Of the nine colleges and universities that offer degrees at the Shady Grove campus, this university is the largest partner, said Joe Bucci, the senior director of marketing and communications for the Shady Grove campus. Bucci said about 35 percent of the Shady Grove campus’s more than 4,000 students count toward this university’s enrollment.
“Our programs are ideal for students who prefer a local, affordable, convenient alternative to traditional universities,” Bucci said. “You have access this way to a great, high-quality degree program, but you don’t have to leave home to do it.”
In addition to increasing this university’s enrollment via students at the Shady Grove campus, the university also increased its graduate student population by more than 1,200 full-time students, according to the university system report.
Muntz said a more educated workforce could attract employers to the state, bring in more jobs and build a knowledge economy. But to do that, the university system must increase its accessibility, he said.
In recent years, the system has worked to expand online opportunities for working adults and grow the USG offerings. In addition, Towson University increased enrollment at its main campus, and Bowie State University found more ways to bring freshman students into its classes, he said.
“Looking at the demographics of the state and who goes on to higher education, it became clear that it’s vastly different across economic classes,” Muntz said. “To meet the goal of 55 percent, we knew it couldn’t be only those with the highest income and the most prepared who went on to college or universities.”
Though some other states’ flagship schools, such as University of Texas and Ohio State University, have higher enrollment than this university, Muntz said officials at this university and university system don’t want this university to grow at the expense of quality.
“For the most part, the size of [this university] is determined by the level of classes, kinds of professors, adjuncts, capital space and so forth that the institution can afford,” he said. “If there isn’t the funding to grow and still maintain a high level of quality, then there is no pressure to grow.”
University President Wallace Loh said admitting more students without additional funding to hire additional faculty would decrease this university’s quality of academic excellence.
“It is always a trade-off,” Loh said. “It is never possible to maintain your quality, and by quality I mean student-faculty ratio, student exposure to tenure-track faculty independent research. You can never maintain, and certainly not improve, your quality unless you have the resources.”
Senior staff writer Ellie Silverman contributed to this report.
